I recently read some past issues of the Al-Haadi. I find the hard-line attitude against Muslim women wearing western fashion as extremist. Many Islamically conscious people wear such clothing or allow their family members to wear them. Why has this extremist position been adopted? (Summary of question)

ANSWER:

Hayaa (shame and modesty) is a fundamental quality which is linked with Imaan itself. When hayaa completely leaves a person, his Imaan is in great danger. While hayaa is an inborn quality, it does get eroded when one is constantly exposed to immodesty and immorality. The effect of the erosion of hayaa is that what was previously regarded as shameless by everyone suddenly becomes “alright” to those whose level of hayaa has dropped. If somebody points out the immodesty, the immediate reaction is: “But what’s wrong with it?”

What is wrong is that the light of hayaa has been greatly dimmed. Thus in the hazy light (or in the total darkness if hayaa has completely left) the immodesty and utter shamelessness cannot be seen. In order to recognize the immorality and shamelessness, one must switch on the bright light of hayaa. We will find that light by studying the lives of the Sahaba (Radiyallahu Anhum) and the pious predecessors. To take just one example, Hazrath Umme Khallad (Radiyallahu Anha) had come to the battlefield to enquire from Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) about her son who had just been martyred. She had come donning a veil. Somebody remarked: “ You have come to enquire about your martyred son yet you are veiled (that is despite your grief you have maintained your composure and remained veiled as always)?” She replied: “I have lost my son, not my modesty” (Abu Dawood). Such people were the standard of modesty. Otherwise, if we judge “modesty” by the standards of the west, to wear a body-hugging outfit with half the bosom and legs exposed is “alright”!!

GLORIFYING EVIL

While western fashion is constantly sliding deeper into the filthy pit of shamelessness, it also very often glorifies evil. For instance, no sane person likes to be called a “bad” person. However for those impressed by the west it has become fashionable to walk around wearing “Bad Boy” emblazoned on one’s chest!! Monster slogans are “cool”. “Red Devils” are a hot favourite. Thus evil is glorified. The tragedy is that people are proud to be associated with it.

Tragically many women, young and old, proudly dress in the immoral fashions of the west. Yet it can be safely said that if their grand or great-grand mothers who passed away more than forty years ago had to come back to the world and see their grand daughters in T-Shirts and jeans, most of them will immediately die of shock. Why then can their grand daughters not see the shamelessness in their attire? Simply because the light has severely dimmed!!! May Allah Ta’ala enlighten our hearts and open our eyes. Aameen.